There are a wide variety of commercially available toolboxes, display kits, sample cases, and the like for the convenient mounting of articles to be displayed or utilized. Oftentimes in such prior commercially available constructions, however, inefficient use is made of the case space, and it is difficult to readily discern and/or remove all of the individual articles contained by the case.
According to the present invention, an article supporting assembly is provided that makes maximum use of the available space and is adapted to support all of the articles associated therewith in a manner so that they may be readily seen and/or utilized. The assembly according to the present invention may have a wide variety of uses, such as a toolbox, display kit, sample case, cabinet arrangement, etcetera.
According to the present invention, an article supporting assembly is provided which comprises a center plate; at least two spanners, each having first and second opposite edges, each of the first and second edges of each spanner parallel to but spaced from the other; at least two cover plates; article supporting means formed on at least one of the center plate and the cover plates; and means for hinging each of the spanners to the center plate generally along the spanner first edges, and means for hinging the cover plates together, and means for hinging a cover plate to each of the spanners generally along the second edge of each of the spanners, so that the cover plates are pivotal from a first position generally parallel to the center plate (but spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to at least the width of the spanner) to a second position generally perpendicular to the center plate. A casing is preferably provided surrounding the center plate, with a handle on the casing, for ease of transport, as well as structures for locking the cover plates in their first position with respect to the center plate, and attaching the cover plates to each other in the first position of each. Also, the center plate may be pivotally mounted to the casing, and a second set of spanners and cover plates be provided on the opposite face of the center plate from the first set of cover plates and spanners.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an article supporting assembly that makes maximum use of the space defined thereby, and supports each article in a manner so that it may be readily seen and/or removed. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.